State Guide
Navigating violations with E-ZPass New York / Tolls by Mail (Thruway Authority, MTA Bridges and Tunnels, Port Authority) can be confusing. Follow this guide to fight your charge.
Generate a New York Dispute LetterNew York's tolls run through three separate authorities, the Thruway Authority, MTA Bridges and Tunnels, and the Port Authority, but they all bill through the same E-ZPass and Tolls by Mail infrastructure. New York also gives drivers stronger statutory protections than most states, including a deadline the authority itself must meet and an outright ban on reporting toll debt to credit agencies.
Two statutes matter. Public Authorities Law section 2985 is the older owner liability provision that sets the penalty tiers, and section 2985-a is the Tolls by Mail consumer protection statute that governs billing cycles, disputes and payment plans. The operating rules sit in 21 NYCRR section 101.3 for the Thruway and 21 NYCRR section 1021.3 for MTA Bridges and Tunnels.
The single most useful thing to know is that the authority has its own deadline. Under section 2985-a, and confirmed in 21 NYCRR section 1021.3, a Notice of Violation must be sent within 90 days of the second toll bill. If it was not, the violation fee is subject to dismissal. The underlying tolls remain payable, but the fees, which are usually the bulk of a large bill, can fall away. Check the dates on your paperwork before you do anything else.
The billing sequence is fixed. The first toll bill must be issued within 10 business days after the billing cycle ends, and section 2985-a states that the owner shall have 30 days from the date of the toll bill to pay. If that goes unpaid a second bill follows in the next billing cycle, and only then can a Notice of Violation issue.
Penalties are tiered by repeat offence under section 2985(5), and they are expressed as the greater of a fixed sum or a multiple of the toll. A first violation carries a penalty not to exceed $50 or twice the toll evaded, whichever is greater. A second within 18 months rises to $100 or five times the toll. A third or subsequent within 18 months rises to $150 or ten times the toll. Note that these statutory tiers are separate from the agency fees, which are set by regulation: the Thruway rule allows a toll violation fee of up to $100 per violation, while the MTA Bridges and Tunnels rule sets $50.
Section 2985-a contains two consumer protections worth quoting back at anyone who pressures you. First, a public authority operating a cashless tolling facility shall not report any toll, fee, penalty or other obligation to a consumer reporting agency. Unpaid New York tolls cannot go on your credit file. Second, the authority shall not charge any additional amount or fee for enrolling in a payment plan, and every cashless tolling authority must develop plans on a case-by-case basis.
There is a real appeal ladder, and it does not end with the agency. You begin with a Declaration of Dispute filed with the Authorized Agent, who must issue a written determination within 45 days of receipt. If that goes against you, you request an Administrative Review by the Authority itself. If that also fails, the determination is final unless overturned by an Article 78 proceeding in the Supreme Court, in Albany County for Thruway matters and New York County for MTA Bridges and Tunnels matters. Liability under section 2985 is decided on a preponderance of the evidence.
Registration suspension is governed by 15 NYCRR section 127.14. The threshold is three or more notices of violation within a five-year period that you failed to pay, dismiss or transfer. For commercial motor vehicles there is an additional trigger at $200 or more in unpaid tolls within five years, though the DMV's own page states that $200 figure more broadly, so treat both as live. The suspension continues until the tolling authority confirms you have responded and paid. Driving on a suspended registration is a misdemeanour and can carry a fine, imprisonment, or both. Out-of-state drivers are not safe either: Vehicle and Traffic Law section 518 allows reciprocal agreements so your home state can suspend or hold your registration.
Each authority also runs an Office of the Toll Payer Advocate, which is a genuine escalation valve. You must first contact the E-ZPass New York Customer Service Center and fail to resolve the matter before the advocate will take it. Note one limit: the Thruway advocate covers Thruway travel only and cannot help once the DMV has suspended your registration, at which point you need the DMV Suspension Team on 718-313-9414.
New York has been hit hard by toll text scams. Governor Hochul's office has stated that E-ZPass and Tolls by Mail will never send a text or email requesting sensitive personal information such as a credit card number, birthday or Social Security number. The only official websites are EZPassNY.com and TollsByMailNY.com. Forward scam texts to 7726 and delete them.
Our system knows the exact format New York toll authorities expect. Generate a dispute letter in minutes.
Start AI Letter Generator →Once your dispute is submitted, the toll authority reviews your evidence and the original toll image before responding — most decisions in New York arrive within 30 to 90 days. Sending your letter by certified mail, or keeping the confirmation number from an online submission, gives you proof that you filed on time if you ever need to escalate.
If your dispute is approved, the charge is dismissed or reduced and any related late fees are typically removed. If it's denied, you usually still have the right to request a hearing or pay the reduced base toll. Either way, responding in writing before the deadline protects you from registration holds and collection activity, which are far harder to undo later.
Public Authorities Law section 2985-a gives you 30 days from the date of the toll bill to pay, and the authority must issue a written determination within 45 days of receiving your Declaration of Dispute. E-ZPass account holders have longer for account-level disputes and may dispute tolls occurring within 180 days.
No. Public Authorities Law section 2985-a expressly bars a public authority operating a cashless tolling facility from reporting any toll, fee, penalty or other obligation to a consumer reporting agency. If a collection agency implies otherwise, quote the statute. Unpaid tolls can, however, lead to a registration suspension, which is a different consequence.
It may matter a great deal. Under section 2985-a, and confirmed in 21 NYCRR section 1021.3, the Notice of Violation must be sent within 90 days of the second toll bill. If it was not, the violation fee is subject to dismissal. The underlying tolls still stand, but on a large bill the fees are usually the bulk of the balance, so check the dates on every document before paying.
Yes. Under 15 NYCRR section 127.14 the DMV can suspend your registration once you have three or more unpaid violation notices within a five-year period. There is an additional threshold at $200 or more in unpaid tolls within five years, which the regulation ties to commercial vehicles though the DMV's own page states it more broadly. Driving on a suspended registration is a misdemeanour. Out-of-state drivers can be reached too, because Vehicle and Traffic Law section 518 allows reciprocal agreements with other states.
No. The Governor's office has stated that E-ZPass and Tolls by Mail will never send a text or email requesting sensitive personal information such as a credit card number, date of birth or Social Security number. Scam texts often come from international numbers and ask you to reply to receive a link. The only official websites are EZPassNY.com and TollsByMailNY.com. Forward the message to 7726 and delete it.
Yes, and it must be free. Public Authorities Law section 2985-a requires every cashless tolling authority to develop payment plans on a case-by-case basis and states that the authority shall not charge any additional amount or fee for enrolment. If you cannot resolve matters with customer service, each authority also runs an Office of the Toll Payer Advocate, though you must contact the E-ZPass New York Customer Service Center first.
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